Raising Chickens: Baby Chicks to ½ Grown

[dlgoff]

Aaawwww...is she a sweet hen? Most of the ones I had were kind of stand-off-ish, but once in a while there would be one would was very affectionate. Usually that meant pecking at my shoe but that's how they show love :!).

Chickens are great!

Roger loves to be petted. When I enter the coup, she flies up to the nesting boxes and gets her body right next to me in order to cuddle up. I have to hug her and stroke her feathers. When I told my neighbor about how affectionate she was he didn't believe it until I showed him. He shook his head in amazement while he was petting her.

 

[dlgoff]

Roger loves to be petted. When I enter the coup, she flies up to the nesting boxes and gets her body right next to me in order to cuddle up. I have to hug her and stroke her feathers. When I told my neighbor about how affectionate she was he didn't believe it until I showed him. He shook his head in amazement while he was petting her.

A couple of Roger pictures.

 

[edward]

Oh Oh, now I am remembering last summer when I chicken sat with my neighbors hens. That was a long two weeks. (post 81)

 

[Evo]

ROGER!

What a special chicken!

 

[dlgoff]

Rogers Boyfriend

Roger isn't as friendly now that she's got a boyfriend.

 

[dlgoff]

I decided to see if Big Boy the rooster is doing his job. So I've temporally turned my daughter's old room into a chicken lab.

 

[Evo]

Whoah! Hi tech chicken hatchery!

 

[dlgoff]

Well, I modified the cheap still-air model but did buy an egg "turner". I would have made the whole thing but I used my last old temp controller. This thing uses a UAA2016 Zero Voltage Switch Power Controller and after adding an old computer 12vdc fan (powered by a 7.5vdc wall wart) to provide a little resistance, it's very stable at 37.5°C. I didn't want to disturb the temperature by opening box and adding water, so I added an external pump and supply also.

 

[OmCheeto]

Yesterday, I read what I assumed was going to be a very funny story, about an exploding man and his chickens.

It ended up, being very sad.

Don, If the "Officials" ever come for you and your chickens, give me a call. I know people who own guns.

ps. I live in the urban chicken capital of America, in case your chickens are afraid of guns.
pps. I have 4 spare boats full of rain water and cat poop, but no spare rooms. Buy a motorhome if you plan on visiting, and living comfortably.

sincerely,

Om

 

[dlgoff]

Yesterday, I read what I assumed was going to be a very funny story, about an exploding man and his chickens.

It ended up, being very sad.

Don, If the "Officials" ever come for you and your chickens, give me a call. I know people who own guns.

ps. I live in the urban chicken capital of America, in case your chickens are afraid of guns.
pps. I have 4 spare boats full of rain water and cat poop, but no spare rooms. Buy a motorhome if you plan on visiting, and living comfortably.

sincerely,

Om

Okay. I'm finally over my worry. kinda.

Roger! WTF!

The big one is from yesterday and the little one she squeaked out today.

 

[Evo]

Whoa! Go roger!

Hope she's not sore.

 

[lisab]

Holy moly! I've never seen such a difference in egg size.

Don, how do you know which egg comes from which chicken? Is Roger your only brown-egg layer?

 

[dlgoff]

I have two hens (and big-boy the rooster). Rogers eggs are darker than the other hen's, as those are sometimes almost white. As for knowing which one laid the little one; roger was just getting off the nest when I when into their coop this afternoon. I suppose she could have been setting on the other hens "squeaker".

 

[Ms Music]

You sure you don't have a prankster in the neighborhood? That is more like the size of an emu egg, not a chicken! And it doesn't appear to have any rings on it to show that it was difficult for her to lay.

Look into records and get that thing weighed!

You should take bets on how many yolks it contains. :)

 

[lisab]

I wonder if it's an egg from a brood parasite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasite

 

[dlgoff]

I decided to see if Big Boy the rooster is doing his job. So I've temporally turned my daughter's old room into a chicken lab.

Update:

I set 19 eggs in the incubator on Feb 14.

Candled Feb 21 and all looked viable (for these dark eggs you need to wait longer).

I did the second candle two days early Feb 26) due to a developing smell.
Removed 3 undeveloped eggs and 1 with dead embryo (crack in shell hence the smell)

Today March 6: so far 5 of remaining 15 show beginning breakout (one since starting this post).

 

[jim hardy]

I came here looking for why the chickens cross the road .

To show armadillos it CAN be done..

 

[Evo]

Today March 6: so far 5 of remaining 15 show beginning breakout (one since starting this post).

Awww.

 

[dlgoff]

You sure you don't have a prankster in the neighborhood? That is more like the size of an emu egg, not a chicken! And it doesn't appear to have any rings on it to show that it was difficult for her to lay.

Look into records and get that thing weighed!

You should take bets on how many yolks it contains. :)

Heck. That's a normal one yolk egg for Roger. She laid one that measured >18cm around the major axis.

 

[dlgoff]

Rogers first born

Rogers First Born

 

[Evo]

OMG, she/he looks so silky! Roger is a mother, does that make me a grandmother?

 

[dlgoff]

OMG, she/he looks so silky! Roger is a mother, does that make me a grandmother?

Congratulations grandmother Roger. Now you have 3 more grandchicks.

 

[lisab]

Congrats! How are they doing?

 

[dlgoff]

Congrats! How are they doing?

So far so good. There are 3 more breaking out right now. :)

 

[Evo]

Congratulations grandmother Roger. Now you have 3 more grandchicks.

:!)

 

[Ms Music]

How much fun! New borns are so cute!

So is the giganto egg in the incubator?

 

[dlgoff]

So is the giganto egg in the incubator?

Nope. It's in my belly.

 

[dlgoff]

Looks like 8 is the final number. Here they are resting.

 

[Evo]

Awww, look at the little silky balls of fluff! Will Roger accept them and train them?

 

[dlgoff]

Will Roger accept them and train them?

I doubt it with the rooster around. I'll wait until they are big enough to fend for themselves before integrating.

 

[Evo]

I doubt it with the rooster around. I'll wait until they are big enough to fend for themselves before integrating.

So, you are officially the mother hen.

 

[dlgoff]

So, you are officially the mother hen.

I am. Just last night I showed them where the water was be getting a drop on my finger and touching their (the two oldest) bills. Then they all came running up to see my finger going into the water dish. This morning; dish 1/2 full. Oh. And I know chicken talk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_6Ipe4RsUQ

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Just make sure they don't peck you to death. Baby chicks can be brutal.

 

[dlgoff]

Just make sure they don't peck you to death. Baby chicks can be brutal.

For sure. Especially when they grow up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDN0jJB_KP4

 

[dlgoff]

I couldn't resist buying these little guys last week. Cuter than chickens.